12 comments:

LilMsHppyPillz
said...

Whenever someone ask to be counseled and I hear the word "internet" I know it's a lost cause on my part. The internet is always right and my 13 years of experience and 6 years of college are always wrong

One of the MANY reasons I think you should not be googling medicine unless you are in the medical profession. Every idiot with a computer suddenly perceives themselves to be some kind of medical genius now that they can see things on "the Google".

Should I wait until three ay-em to call you and ask about the effects my Cymbalta might have on the baby if I get pregnant? Of course, I had a hysterectomy ten years ago and mt husband had a vasectomy in '92 and we haven't had sex in six months, but I found out on Google it could be a problem so I though I'd better call you just in case. Dr. Grumpy? Are you there??? Is that a dial tone? HELLO???!!!

Oh, I completely understand that the general public googling medical info can't be a good thing. But, as a member of the general public, I've actually done that. I once told my doc that I thought my daughter had Fifth Disease given the slapped-cheeks look, lacy flat rash on arms and legs, and a clear runny nose the week before . . . He laughed and told me it was his impression, too. Now, when I go armed with info and present it in a humble way, he is grateful. Maybe because I don't get paranoid it's OK? I don't know. I never have middle-of-the-night calls into his service, either.

I guess I just don't get it. We are encouraged to play an active part in our medical care, to better understand what we should and should not do to take care of ourselves. Since few of us own encyclopedias, which, by the way, are probably out-of-date even before they're printed, our alternative is to consult the 'net. However, we are aware that not all the information on the 'net is accurate or actually vetted by medical professionals. So where should we look for answers?

Welcome to my whining!

This blog is entirely for entertainment purposes. All posts about patients may be fictional, or be my experience, or were submitted by a reader, or any combination of the above. Factual statements may or may not be accurate.

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